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. 2019 Mar 19;92(12):e1331–e1343. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000007133

Figure 3. Probable mechanism of microglia activation and factors contributing to neuroinflammation.

Figure 3

(A) Microglia can be activated by either anti-inflammatory stimuli (IL-4, IL-10, or IL-13) or proinflammatory cytokines (IFN-, LPS) that determine the polarization status of the cell. The anti- and proinflammatory responses involve the activation of different intracellular pathways and result in opposite effects on neuronal cells. (B) Systemic (cardiovascular risk factors and systemic inflammation), local (amyloid deposition and tangle formation), and genetic factors contribute to microglial activation. BBB = blood-brain barrier; COX-2 = cyclooxygenase-2; IFN = interferon; IL = interleukin; iNOS = inducible nitric oxide synthase; LPS = lipopolysaccharide; MHC = major histocompatibility complex; NF-κB = nuclear factor κB; NFT = neurofibrillary tangles; PHF = paired helical filaments; p-tau = phosphorylated tau; ROS = reactive oxygen species; TCR = T cell receptor; TGF-β = transforming growth factor β.